You Discovered Your Genetic History. Is It Worth the Privacy Risk?

While consumer genetic testing companies have privacy policies, Fortune reports that there are still concerns about genetic information being used by law enforcement, employers, or health insurers. For instance, it recounts the case of a woman it called Kylie Charles who wanted to know more about her estranged father and his family, but was so concerned that any information uncovered through testing could be traced back to her that she used a pseudonym. Both Ancesty.com and 23andMe have privacy policies, it adds, that note that a person’s data could be shared with a third-party. Ancestry adds that it does not sell data to insurers or employers and only shares it with researchers if the customer has agrees. 23andMe likewise says it shares only with customer consent, adding that law enforcement must have a court order to get access to data. However, privacy policies could change at any time.